Medical wrkers have attributed the high rate f death amng men t their pr health-seeking behaviur.
Mst men d nt visit health facilities fr medical check-up but are either rushed while in critical cnditin r when symptms intensify.
Fr instance, in August this year, 33 men died at Lira Reginal Referral Hspital within 48 hurs after admissin, accrding t authrities.
Sr Hellen ngm, senir nursing fficer at Lira Reginal Referral Hspital, said mst men battle sickness frm hme and nly run t the facility when their health has fully deterirated.
“Men are nt cming early t the health facility and this is the reasn we are lsing mre male patients than females. They spend much f their time drinking alchl and ther wrks and hence delay t seek medical care,” she said during the Lang sub-reginal Health Assembly hsted recently by Lira Reginal Referral Hspital in Lira City.
She urged men t change their health-seeking behaviurs fr early detectin and treatment.
“We shuld encurage men t test their bld fr infectius diseases and d screening fr nn-cmmunicable diseases fr early detectin and effective treatment,” she added.
At Aduku HC IV in Kwania District, 65 percent f admissins at the general purpse ward are wmen and children.
Dr David kin, Kwania District Health fficer, said delay in seeking health care leads t cmplicatins and hence death r lng-term effect n the bdy.
“Delay in seeking health care services ften leads t adverse health utcmes such as treatment failure, multiple rgan failure, cmplicatins related t seeking treatment frm unqualified health prfessinals, and ften death while in the hspital r at hme,” he said.
He attributed delay amng men t factrs such as reckless lifestyles, alchlism and smetimes lack f supprt frm family.
“The few men hwever, cme t facilities when they are t sick and ften late prbably due t lack f prper supprt frm their hmes, living reckless lifestyles, and generally pr mindset that men are strng peple,” he added.
In Apac District, the situatin is wrse, accrding t District Health fficer Dr James Daniel dng.
“The capacity f ur inpatient department is 100 beds but abut 80 percent f ur admissins are wmen and children,” he said.
Rbert mding, a bda-bda rider, said men are at the frefrnt in the struggle fr the family and that is why they dn’t easily run t a health facility when unwell.
“When am feeling a mild headache r a mild pain as lng as am still able t stand I keep n wrking s that I can get smething fr my family,” he said.
Jacb Ebng, a resident f Agulu Divisin in Apac Municipality, said sme men fear the stress f knwing they have a particular disease even when they physically lk well.
“Sme f us men dn’t want t g t the health facility fr fear that their bld wuld be tested fr diseases like HIV/Aids, cancer and pressure and they say that when tested psitive f any f these diseases, stress will kill them s fast,” he said.
David yuku, a resident f Akere Divisin in Apac Municipality, said in rural areas men give much f their time t alchlism than persnal health.
“We have men wh lk fr alchl when they are feeling sme headache and they say that if they drink alchl the headache disappears,” he said.